rbh
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Everything posted by rbh
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Louisville Thanks for the pointers... most meals were rather uneventful, with a couple meals at 4th Street Live, which while not bad does not provide interesting dining (Hard Rock and The Pub [Closed Nov 12, 2012] were the places we went; there's also a Friday's, Lucky Strike [Became Sports and Social Club in May, 2009], some Irish bar) - basically a lot of chains.. nothing wrong with that, just not interesting. The one interesting place we went to was Proof on Main which was good. I had Kentucky bass on top of corn and green beans which was quite tasty. The special was a bucatini with pancetta and tomato based sauce which my co-worker liked. She particularly raved about the warm white chocolate pudding cake. Another co-worker had the penne pasta, which she said was good, but nothing particularly creative. Chocolate malted gelato decent. Service was quite slow (as were many things in Kentucky) - took them a couple tries to find the bottle of wine we ordered (Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc - nothing fancy). Artwork a bit odd... the current artist having pictures displayed included photographs of real people with mannequins. The plaster calves (or were they lambs?) hanging from the upper corners of the dining room (looking like they were being led to slaughter) were also somewhat disconcerting to my co-workers. Did stop by Ruth Hunt Candies [since 1921] while in Mount Sterling. Was expecting a much larger operation based on how a couple folks in Frankfort mentioned it... but good chocolates if you're in the area.
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So work takes me to Louisville and Frankfort for a few days next week... anyone have suggestions for good dining?
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I was there on Tuesday w/ a couple friends. Tasting menu for the 3 of us. Usual great food and great service - I could gush, but others are more eloquent then me. But I did want to note the special care they took care of my vegetarian friends... even the one allergic to mushrooms. While one of the pasta dishes was already vegetarian, they offered to make two of the other dishes vegetarian. The main courses were assortments of prepared vegetables (snow peas, carrots, spinach w/ pine nuts, potatoes, mushrooms (for the friend who could have them) and polenta). Many of the appetizers are already vegetarian - so the three of us could get the same thing... about half were not, and I got the regular one, and they prepared separate dishes for them - some were minorly different like a different topping on the crostini... in others, while I got fried sardines, they got a califlower salad. My friends who are used to going out and getting a choice of one dish were very impressed with the flexibility of the place to accomodate them and then just the flat-out creativity of Chef Monis's cooking. and the level of attentiveness the staff has is great - I made no mention of my friend's b-day when I made the reservation, and when we were brought out the first bottle of wine, there was one mention to let her taste it, it's her birthday... and at the end of the meal, her dessert comes with a candle. I know it seems like such a little thing, but I guess such things impress me. btw, the baklava-like gelato dessert and the sorbet are always winners. Still the best meal and experience I've had in DC... not cheap, but worth every penny.
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Not particularly memorable... the oddity I remember was ordering a pizza with clams.... and the clams came on the pizza with the shells! ok in a pinch, but not worth traveling for. Even if you're in the area, you've really got to be in the mood for it. When I used to hang out in that neighborhood more (pre-RTS), I preferred going to Guajillo and Rhodeside Grill, for that price point.
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I think that sums up my thoughts about the place nicely. I've only been there once or twice and didn't have bad meals, but they're not memorable. It is an attractive space - I want to like it.... I'd probably not object to going there if others suggested it, but there are so many more interesting choices, food-wise, in a just a 5-block radius.
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Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight? The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world. sorry, had to share the first thing that came to my mind there
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Room rates in Vegas change day-to-day... it's almost like the stock market in that it's a very efficient market. As supply goes down, rates go up... and vice versa. I would book whatever you can now.... but until the trip, keep checking the hotel web pages to see if they go down, and then rebook at the lowest rate (note you can only do this if you book through the hotel and not through expedia or travelocity or such). In particular, rates often tend to be at their lowest the monday or tuesday before a weekend. Of course, Venetian, Wynn, and Bellagio are the cream of the crop in Vegas. The next tier is probably Caesar's, Mandalay Bay, and Mirage. Then Paris, Treasure Island, MGM, Aladdin, NYNY, and Monte Carlo. Luxor probably belongs in that group, but I don't like it either. Bally's is also supposed to be ok. Rio, Palms, and Hard Rock are off the strip (i.e. you'll need a cab to go anywhere) but are nice... but I'm not sure where to insert them in the categories above. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the above... if you do plan to spend a lot of time in the room (I usually don't), it may be worth it to splurge a little bit, but I wouldn't go crazy with that - also depends on what amenities you want... some have better pools, others have better restaurants, or better gaming. Food - also yummy at Paris is the crepes place across from the buffet. Supposedly one of the best Thai places, Lotus of Siam, in all of the U.S. is in Vegas. MGM Grand and Venetian have some very nice places that won't break the bank.
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yes - Joe's is back in the same space. same concept; new owners. breadsticks and bottomless saladbowl. click for ithaca journal story on reopening.
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Mike's Bar and Crab House, Riva
rbh replied to crackers's topic in Baltimore and Annapolis Restaurants and Dining
Mike's used to be in the lunch rotation when I worked in Annapolis. It was always nice to be able to sit out on the deck eating a crab cake sandwich for lunch. Non-crab food... not particularly recommended. Maybe you can get a boat... you'll have crabs and the husband can get some carryout from Adam's Ribs from down the road a bit. -
Ithaca Was in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes over the long 4th of July weekend. Again mostly pleased with all the dining options up there. First night went to The Heights cafe. They really have outstanding food. We all got some type of steak.... ranging from tenderloins to ribeye to porterhouses. They were all quite good... not quite prepared the same way as RTS. First the cuts were a bit thicker... and then on the ribeye there was a semisweet glaze, enough to accent the meat without overpowering it. Just way to full for dessert that night. Other dinners on the weekend included Just a Taste, Joe's, and the Nines. I swear the Nines pizza is actually better than I remember. Get the deep dish.... dough doesn't have that little sweet taste anymore (which always seemed a bit odd to me). Pizza prep time/service just as slow as I remember. Joe's is back. Unbelievably, I never went to Joe's when I went to Cornell.... the one person in our group who had been said it was pretty much as she remembered... with a few changed menu items. Don't go expecting haute Italian cuisine... but for affordable southern Italian cuisine.... it fits the bill. Just a Taste was a bit disappointing to me. As DCinDC says, it's tapas, but not like Jaleo... just small plate food. We went late and they seemed hurried. Food was good, but not particularly memorable. The one distinctive thing were the wine flights they offered.... 5 3-oz tastes for $10. They had some pre-created flights, or you could create your own - very good value. My impression of Just a Taste could've been influenced by a full day of wine tasting on Seneca Lake though. Couple other places that haven't been mentioned that are good for breakfast/brunch... Cafe DeWitt (in the DeWitt mall, where Moosewoods is) and the venerable Collegetown Bagels... I think I like the Collegetown location better though than the one downtown. We tried the Ithaca diner on State St one morning... passable, but nothing great... if you want diner food, go to Mano's instead. For the CU (and IC) alums... Starbucks has finally invaded Ithaca.... on the ground floor of the Hilton Garden Inn that opened just north of the Commons. In Collegetown, the Greek House and the corner convenience store are gone. It's strange to see Stella's - coffeebar on one side... martini bar on the other, yes a martini bar in C-town. The usual beer hangouts are still there... Dunbars, Royal Palms, Ruloffs, Chapter House. Aladdins is also still there... surprisingly the cheap Vietnam restaurant is also still there. Wine tasting was mixed on Seneca and Cayuga Lakes.... Rieslings had a tough year in 2004. The standout wines from the trip.... Wiemer Semi-Dry Riesling and the Standing Stone Vidal Ice wine.
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There are a few different types, depending on the region - the Cantonese ones served at dim sum tend to be squarish and have, as mentioned, sometimes up to 8 items (pork, chicken, chinese sausage, mushroom, dried shrimp, egg yolk, boiled peanuts, urghh; i'm can't remember the last one). Taiwanese ones are triangular and tend to have fewer things... just pork, shitake mushrooms, and maybe peanuts. Kam San in Rockville and Annandale have different types for sale... including these and others. There are also sweet ones filled with red beans. (side note: i had completely forgotten about this eG thread on Chinese recipe pictorials) I like Full Kee for the noodle soups. I think I need to give Chinatown Express another chance... I went there a few years ago, was disappointed (the shanghai soup dumplings all broke and retained none of the juice) and never went back. Eat First used to be good... but is more hit or miss now. Chinatown Garden - not so good. Tony Cheng's is usually reliable... but always seems overpriced compared to the competition.
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Haad Thai is a decent place over at 11th and H... and service is reasonably fast. more expensive... Corduroy (12th and K). less expensive... 5 Guys (9th and H). I haven't been at the Kabob House in several years on K St between 11th and 12th. People in the office used to rave about it as a great value. Menu is available on menupix.
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You really can't go wrong no matter what you get. Crab bisque and blackened scallops are excellent starters. Whatever cut of steak strikes your fancy.... wines all well priced also. Be sure to eat light all day Saturday to be able to cram all the goodness in....
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ok... I live just blocks from this place and was surprised to see a writeup of the place... just figured it was your run-of-the-mill chinese-american takeout place that's there to compete with Yum's and never gave it a second thought. Now I almost feel emboldened to give it a try. According to its menu, hours are Sun-Thur 11a-10p; Fri/Sat 11a-1030p. The menu looks kind of average, but I imagine this is the kind of place where if you know what you want, they'll make it for you.
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Forgot to report about Vegas trip in March. Had a surprisingly excellent steak dinner at Del Friscos. It's off the strip on Paradise Road... 7 of us at dinner. Was a little concerned when I saw it was part of the Lone Star chain. But it was great. Dinner was well-paced... prompt but not hurried. Attentive but not rushing us at all. Declared to be the best steak dinner we've ever had in Vegas. I had the ribeye and it rocked. 3 porterhouses, a filet, a strip, and veal rounded out the table. Steaks all rivaled or were better than Ray's. Creamed spinach among the best we've had. Not cheap, but definitely worth the money for Vegas. As comparison, the other steak places we've been to in Vegas include Smith & Wollensky, Alan Alberts, Gallaghers, and the steakhouse in Monte Carlo (I forget the name).
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Was at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood a month or two ago. One of my co-workers found this place a couple blocks from our hotel 240 Union (speaking of places named after their address). It was not at all what I expected... it was excellent... it says the Denver Post declares it one of the 10 best in Denver and I believe it. In terms of style of cooking and the menu, it reminded me most of Zest (in Frederick).....creative comfort food. I had the half-chicken with apple smoked bacon potatoes. The flavor moistly permeated into the whole chicken.... and bacon really does make potatoes taste better. Great deal at $15 also.... Co-workers had pasta with italian sausage (Strozzapreti) and another had a fish special (halibut I think). Way too full for dessert. Looked to be a decent wine list but I didn't look too long at it... was in a beer mood. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.
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I have sworn off eating at Rio Grande... I've never had anything above mediocre there, and one bad meal (well just cold) pushed me over the edge. Same meal, my vegetarian friend got chicken in her spinach enchilada... I like Guajillo... for the mini-chains, I've always liked Guapo's.
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Ithaca In Ithaca, there's a surprising amount of good food. Never been to Moosewoods... always meant to, but the vegetarian aspect of it never really motivates me. The best discovery in Ithaca is north of Cornell... The Heights Cafe. Excellent food and service that can rival any of the comparable places in DC. Expensive by Ithaca standards... moderate by DC standards. I always liked Cosmo's for breakfast. I want to like Simeon's on the Commons, but it inevitably disappoints me. The one time I went to The Station, it also disappointed. The Thai place over by Wegmans was always good also. Forget about any Chinese food in Ithaca... Vietnamese place on Dryden Ave was always a good deal. Taughonnack Inn northeast of Ithaca is supposed to be a nice place also. btw, Joe's Restaurant is back after a demise of a few years... I may go by when I'm there over 4th of July weekend.
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Mark and Orlando's, West Dupont Circle - Closed
rbh replied to FunnyJohn's topic in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining
restaurant web page click -
Kanlaya's take-out menu says they do delivery... good Thai food over on 6th St. click
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Another possibility could be 51st State Tavern. You could walk over to 19th Street, and then you have all sorts of possibilities on the cheap side (Luigis, Penang, Nooshi, etc).
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Went to Komi last night with a couple friends and had the tasting menu for the first time. whatever I type here can not do justice to how good the food and the experience was. I don't remember if this has actually been described - but it's a 5-course tasting menu and the condition is that the whole table has to do it. Each person gets to pick a pasta, main course, and dessert off the menu. In addition, they bring a sampling of the appetizers, and a cheese course. The amuse of the green olives and the dates with marscapone/sea salt/olive oil as delicious as ever. I think they must have brought us every appetizer on the menu, I'm sure I'm forgetting some of the details: Baby mozzarella w/ bread crumbs and anchovies Octopus w/ blood oranges and celery root Two types of crostini (one with salted cod, another with yogurt?) served with the house-cured Mortadella Breaded cheese balls Lightly fried sardines The housemade crackers followed (paprika, sesame, and something) I had the pappardelle w/ goat ragu; friends had the ravioli and the anglotti (?). Better if I describe the last one - pinched pasta stuffed with veal, I think a sausage, and mushroom. After each bite, we were passing our plates around so we could all sample. We were so amazed we couldn't pick a favorite because each was so good but in different ways. The pappardelle was the lightest of the three.... pasta had just the right firmness. As mentioned, the cinnamon did give the dish a very interesting taste. I had the white tuna with speck, which came with spinach/pine nuts/currants. Friends had the grilled lamb with lentils and the rabbit. I think we decided the rabbit was good, but not up to the quality of the tuna or the lamb. It was decided that my side of spinach/pine nuts/currants was the winner (but no one ever really loses here!). The mains that we did not get were the bronzini for 2 and the roast suckling pig for 2. We needed to recruit that 4th person for our table. Cheese dish followed with more of the excellent bread. Did you know they even bake their own bread here?! An option on the tasting menu is to get a couple more cheeses (5 cheeses instead of 3 for a $5 surcharge; but we decided we didn't need more food!). Desserts - I got the donuts.... also at the table were the sorbet (tangerine, yogurt, and something) and the saffron pound cake with meyer lemon gelato. I particularly liked the tangerine sorbet. I also miss the hot chocolate, but the mousse was excellent. Lemon lollipops to go. The other thing is the excellent service here - attentive without being intrusive. Willing to talk with us about the food and answer whatever questions we had (I think they were also entertained by our plate passing... they kept asking if we wanted small dishes to facilitate the sharing). I really am hard-pressed to think of a place in DC I like better than this right now, especially because I live in the neighborhood. As my friend said, if they had a bar, she'd be here all the time drinking wine and munching on the dates and the other mezze.
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In this area, it's usually easier to tell you which places to avoid for buffalo wings (which includes Hooters - the DC location is among the worst with that strange buttery taste). The best I've had here, believe it or not, are at Rocklands, not the biggest of wings, but fried to just the nice crispiness with good hot sauce. I've only had them in Ballston, but would hope that they're similar in Glover Park. Up in Adams Morgan, which also surprised me was Zucchabar. Meaty, nicely fried - just ask for extra sauce. And 25 cents/wing at happy hour. And $8 pitchers. And, at least on the nights I was there, a new wave mix of 80's music. I've been meaning to try the wings at 51st State.
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I agree.... it's not a bad place once in a while.... but not habit forming. Service is slow here. I do like the upstairs lounge, particularly when I get there early enough to grab the couch. And the beer is decent. Re: the food.... it's a bar, if you keep to bar food, you'll do ok. Overorder.... and you're bound for disappointment. I almost always get the chicken sandwich with swiss + bacon + honey mustard.